Apple Tatin - A crowd pleaser :)

The history of how tatin (tah-tan) was first made is very interesting. It's hard to believe that it was an outcome of a mistake...but once you taste it you know exactly why people did not mind.

You can use any variety of apples, preferably Granny smith or Golden delicious . The lemon zest n the caramel ....yumm... it is a must try.
So next time you want to please a crowd (or yourself)...go ahead and try this recipe...it looks, tastes and even sounds very impressive... (The photo does no justice to its actual beauty:))



Ingredients:

6 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature,
1 1/4 Apples, cored,peeled and sliced
1 cups granulated sugar, for the caramel
3/4 cups granulated sugar, for the cake batter
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. vanilla essence
Sift together:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a 9-inch glass pie dish or any oven proof 9 inch dish with butter and arrange the apples in the dish, so as to cover the dish .

Combine 1 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it turns a warm amber color (about 360 degrees F on a candy thermometer. ...for the ones who have one .....I just use the color of the caramel as my guide). Do not stir this mixture, it cooks on its own .

Once the caramel is cooked swirl the pan and pour the caramel evenly over the apple slices.

In a different bowl cream the 6 tablespoons of butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy. Lower the speed and beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the sour cream, zest, and vanilla and mix until combined. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and, with the mixer on low speed, add it to the butter mixture. Mix only until combined. Pour the cake batter evenly over the apple slices and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a flat plate. If you have greased your dish generously and allowed the tatin to cool for its given time, it will come out without sticking if in case an apple slice sticks, ease it out and replace it in the design on top of the cake.

Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioners' sugar.

If you like it warm as I do , just microwave it for few seconds and you get the same oven fresh taste everytime.